Tips for Achieving Perfectly Carved Roast Beef

Carving roast beef doesn’t need to be stressful or messy – as long as you have a sharp knife, a carving fork, a chopping board and a well-rested roast, it’s actually very easy.

Follow the simple steps below to achieve perfectly carved roast beef, every time.

How to carve a boneless beef roast

1. For the juiciest roast, allow the beef to rest for 20 minutes before carving. This allows the meat juices to redistribute and makes carving easier.
2. Place a dampened napkin under the board to prevent it moving as you carve.
3. Steady the beef with a carving fork and begin to carve the roast with a slicing (not sawing) motion, using the full length of the blade.
4. Carve across the grain of the beef at a consistent angle. Gently remove any strings or skewers as you carve.
5. Transfer the beef roast slices to a warm plate or serving platter and spoon any juices over the top.

How to carve standing rib roast

Carving a standing rib roast is easier if you ask your butcher to remove the backbone and cut the rib bones short.

1. Stand the rested rib roast upright, holding the bones with your free hand (use a clean kitchen towel if you’d like).
2. Using a long, thin-bladed carving knife, cut between the bones and the meat, following the curvature of the bones as closely as you can, until you get to their base.
3. Once you get to the bottom, fold the bones outward as if they’re on a hinge, then cut along the bottom of the roast to remove them completely.
4. Cut the meat into slices (across the grain).

To see this cutting technique in action, watch the video from Simply Beef & Lamb below:

Hint: Carve only as many slices as you need, leaving the rest of the roast intact. This will prevent it from getting dry, help keep it warm for seconds and, if you have leftovers, make it easier to store.
For more tips about carving meat roasts, check out Beef & Lamb’s How to Carve a Roast.

Want to expand your meaty knowledge even further? Take a look at our recent posts Pork Cuts 101 and Everything You Need to Know About Buying & Cooking Roast Leg of Lamb.